Get schooled

Area schools begin the new school year this week. Here are some tips on how to help your student have a successful year, from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell:

1. Put your children in bed earlier. Doctors recommend children in first through fifth grades get as much as 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can affect children’s ability to learn, and may affect their immune systems.

2. Establish a routine. Get your children ready to start the day earlier, before the school year begins, so that they will become accustomed to waking up in time to get ready for school. Children need to establish routines in order to feel secure and at ease.

3. Read to your children daily. Parents can help calm children at bedtime by reading to them. Books at bedtime also expose children to language, sounds, new ideas and the love of reading.

4. Let your children pick out their clothes and lay them out for the next day. Allowing young children to make small decisions gets them engaged and excited about a new experience. As they get older, slowly increase the type of choices they can make. This will help them learn about responsibility and develop crucial skills in good decision-making.

5. Make a list of school supplies your children need. This will help children learn how to organize their thoughts and prioritize. Set a budget and stick to it. This will help your children separate what they “want” versus what they “need.” After you decide on the supplies that are necessary, shop with them and have them add up the prices so they can practice math.

6. Create a place to study in your house. Choose an area that is comfortable, quiet, well-lit, and away from distractions such as electronic devices, toys and extracurricular activities. Make sure your children have time to study. This will help them concentrate and absorb more of what they are trying to learn. Overscheduled children have difficulty doing quality work when they are exhausted.

7. Plan your week out together. Discuss who will take the children to school, what they want for breakfast, where to eat lunch at school and who will pick them up. This helps avoid unexpected circumstances that can make children feel anxious.

8. Let your children know you are interested in their studies. Ask about their homework. Talk to their teachers. Praise your children for doing a good job. Be enthusiastic about work they bring home to show you. Attend school events. Believe in your children. Success breeds success.

9. Have fun. Schedule fun time away from school to keep children physically active. Ride bikes to the park. Participate in walkathons. Studies show if children avoid harmful activities, eat a healthy diet and are physically active, they are more academically successful.

10. Be enthusiastic about going to school. As that first day of school approaches, the more excited and confident you are, the more your children will be too. But be prepared if they react to separation. If possible, visit the new school setting with your children and introduce them to the teachers. Arrange play dates with parents of other children in the program, so your children will see familiar faces at school.

knoceda

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Now I’m a sophomore at Hayward High and last summer was fun and I wanted school to start at the same time.

I went to summer school last summer and it gave me something to do.

I also joined a group of other teenagers at the Hayward Public Library taking photos around Downtown Hayward for a exibit at the Hayward City Hall next month.

I also was hanging out with some friends.

Many more stuff happend last summer.

J. W. Kyle

Good Luck Alex ! Study hard… you only get one shot at High School…. make the most of it!

I,ve seen you speak at public comments…. you are a good appearance, intelligent young man. Why hasn’t HUSD put you on the HUSD Trustee Board as Hayward High Representative?

You must ask about that! Youn desrve the seat!

ponee007

my son (3rd grade) just asked if he could make his own lunch! woohoo.
Not sure how HS Board members are chosen … but since most members are for re-election … does anyone know all the candidates running? I know of 1 parent running, and I heard Dr Gonzales is running. I attended my first Board mtg last night – here is to many more Best of luck to all families this year.

Kris Noceda

Hi Ponee007. Here’s how the November school board election is shaping up in Hayward:

Four seats including one two-year term are up for election:
-Current trustees Grant Peterson and Sergio Saenz will not seek re-election, while incumbents Jeff Cook and Sarah Gonzales will seek another four-year term.

So, will Mr. Noceda and his coleagues at Daily Review provide us with some insights as to each candidate’s desire ‘to make a difference’ ?

Perhaps even pose a few questions for which all candidates might make a reply. Or at least offer them an opportunity to explain their motivation for
‘running’ and how they see opportunity to improve the level of esteem at which stakeholders view the ard of Trustees?

Or, will Review wait until last moment to suggest that he who raises campaign cash ought be elected?

Kris Noceda

Mr. Kyle we will provide election coverage as the date nears closer to November. The HUSD school board is one of many November races we will be covering this election.

J. W. Kyle

Mr. Noceda, the problem with waiting until a date closer to the electiohn is that the public will be so inundated with politacal stories ihn the print media that HUSD election will be the last thought on loval minds with the result that real leadersyhip may lose out.

Apparently you have not accepted my recent suggestion so I will raise a question or two on the blog, even at the exoense of raising ANG income based on the numvber of hits for which advertisers pay you somethging on the order of a tithe.

For purposes of raising early questions to those candidates who might wish the blog as an opportunity to answer…..

My first question to readers is this:

WHAT IS HUSD’S GREATEST NEED ?

i WILL ANSWER MY OWN QUESTION IN A DAY OR TWO IN THE HOPE THAT READERS WILL OFFER THEIR OWN ANSWER AS A MEANS OF STIRRING UP THE ELECTORATE TO THE POINT OF ELECTING THOSE CANDIDATE MOST IN TUNE WITH THE ELECTORATE. !

MR. NOCEDA, YOU IN YOUR TURN MIGHT SUGGEST BY E-MAIL DIRECT TO THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY READ THIS PORTION OF THE BLOG PAGES.

Please do not post known e-mail addressess on the blog.

I am in the phone book if any wish to suggest fuel for the fire which should stir up presence of a more pro-active Board of Trustees than that which we presently experience.

K Rocchio

My name is Kelly Rocchio and I am excited to be one of the many candidates for the 2 year seat on the Board.

I have launched an email statement which I will be happy to share with anyone interested and will do my best to answer any questions I can. It is important that you know, I am not a politician and don’t claim to know everything. I am a parent of two students currently enrolled in the district and I am willing to give it my best effort to get the answers this community deserves.

To answer the question above, I feel the top priorities are the vast inequities in the District and the lack of stability. I was astounded to learn that HUSD has welcomed nearly 30 principals since 2005. How can we move forward with a track record like this? We must stop the migration of teachers and students alike.

I posted a response in Twinkle, Twinkle regarding the test scores. It has not yet made it through moderation. My question is this: How many of the test scores in Castro Valley are attributed to students currently living in Hayward? We must stop exporting our students and start motivating our staff.

I think one thing we can all be proud of is the interest taken this year in the openings on our Board. The competition is full of concerned parents and community members trying to make a difference!

J. W. Kyle

Once again I am underwhelmed by the response to the above question at item #7: which leads directly to the answer!

HUSD’s greatest need is the involvement of the
general public in the affairs of the school district which bears the name HAYWARD and which organization will detract from the City’s image if the residents of the city as well as students, parents and general public continue to avoid involvment with HUSD.

Recently the recently widowed wife of a lifelong resident of Hayward thought she had sold the home wich is now too large for her need. It had been listed fotr over four momnths; within 72 hours of her acceptance of a ‘lowball’ offer, the contract was rescinded by buyers who stated that they did not know that the residence was within HUSD’s jurisdiction and that they had no intention of permitting their children to attend HUSD Schools!

The PTA representative of Strobridge School stated, at the HUSD trustee meeting of August 27th, that Strobridge School was located in Castro Valley. Was that a slip of the tongue or a wish for dis-sssociation?

Recently, trustee Paul Frumkin, whose seat remains safe for another two years, sought clarification or determination of results from the district’s money expenditure fo support of the volunteer co-ordiantor hired by the City, HARD and the School District.

Why does the school district seek volunteers through a hired solicitor of volunteer help? Apparently without success!

The reputation of the School District and that of the CITY are so intertwined that you can not improve upon the image of one without improving the image of the other!

Yet, the City has a steady supply of Citizens, drawn from the City which, in the geographical area of the two, is smaller than the school distict. Refer,of course, to the present nine (9) count of ‘Commissions’ presently supported by the City.

Go to: http://www.hayward-ca.gov and choose the link “Commissions” to see enumerated the numbers of groups and folks by name who actively participate in aiding governance of the City. Then compare that with HUSD’s list which indicates just two with only the names of three identifiable folks in the “Personnel Commission” but fails to list the names of those most directly uinvolved with “Partners in Education” (2)

Where the City has over 100 imvolved indiviuals volunteering considerable time to aid governance, when all seats are occupied, HUSd has but 5.

Ask yourself, “Why”.

We had a chance to create that situation which the City enjoys, but HUSD stiffled the suggestion. Go ahead ask me why !….. That will be the subject of my next contributiohn, assuming I am not completely turned off by the lack of response in the effort at submission # 7 above!

Gee whiz, one would think that the numerous candidates who declared a desire to win a seat on HUSD Board in Novemeber would have picked up on the thought. <My fault I guess. I thought the blog was more popular than it is!

Is it the fault of ANG who will obviously print a few words on the HUSD election, just s few short days before trhe election when the limited numbers of subscribers will be scratching their heads on the subject; What is HUSD’s greatest need?

monica ruiz

Kris, this is a great article and thanks for sharing it with all of us.

Hayward339

I agree with J.W. Kyle that there needs to be a longer period for reviewing and discussing the HUSD candidates- especially with the large number of early absentee voters now. What’s the primary difference between Castro Valley and Hayward home prices – the school district. There’s even a battle between San Leandro and Castro Valley over the zip code boundaries with one of the primary drivers being the school district. What’s the estimated home price difference between CV and Pleasanton over Hayward according to real estate agents? Up to $100,000!

Seeing as how school districts are like shadow governments – many having larger budgets than their municipal counterparts – why aren’t there similar criticisms around their accountability, effectiveness, and responsiveness to public comments?

It’s amazing how few school officials are elected and accountable to the public given their impact to the community and their ever-growing, insatiable monetary demands. Because of this, only school districts seem to have the audacity to increase their budget demands while economic conditions deteriorate. They seem to only want to throw money at the problem rather than take the hard line and begin to cut programs and middle management like corporations do when financial times are tough. Nor do they seem to have plans to even cover these type of situations. From a risk management perspective, this makes no sense. So which candidate has the background and will to tackle these tough questions? Who is willing to be accountable to the community? Who is willing to work WITH the City rather than independently of the City to make Hayward better? Who is willing to open up the opportunity for Charter Schools to see if magnet schools focused on fundamentals and not special programs would do better? Who is willing to bring in a Superintendent that isn’t so embedded in the system that they can’t consider alternative or innovative approaches?

I wish we could elect to leave school board seats empty if we don’t feel any of the candidates have convinced us they are qualified to actually run the district. Right now, there is little incentive for them to campaign – especially if they know media coverage is only going to be over the last month?

Let’s keep an open forum going!

J. W. Kyle

Imagine my annoyance when my response to above was posted under another item by Mre. Noceda

I wonder of Noceda can effect the change,…. I ain’t gonna re-typr that BOOK!

At the second paragraph she/he raises this question….”why aren’t criticisms around accountability, effectiveness and rsponsiveness to “public comments”?

The answer is quite simple! The electorate simply does not know how to formulate thoughtful questions! Moreover the public fails understanding of an accept- able, proper use of public comments. Moreover, the Trustees have historicaly failed to clarify the concern. In short, we all fail proper use of ‘Public comments’.

The single greatest need facing HUSD and it’s electorate is creation of volunteer groups modeled on the Hayweard City concept of “commissions’.

‘Commissions’ each dealing with a narrow subject and viewpoint will aid governance of HUSD supporting but without obstructing the Trustees or teacher’s obligat- tions.

One such Commission is strongly suggested in my comment of Sept. 7th, erroneously appearing under Noceda’s bit about ” measuring up”.

I have in great length outlined the circumstances which destroy volunteerism as well as demonstrating almost puposeful disdain for the reputed annual cost, ( ‘about $100K’ per Ass’t Supt. Schimmel,) caused by school property vandalism,(grafitti,) etc.

From my personal knowledge, many school districts avoid that expense by use of ‘site residents’. The concept and actuality was introduced into HUSD about 1996 at Longwood School. Once introduced, the vandalism at that school which had been estimated at that time as being $50k per year was virtually e3liminated.

The onsite residence and resident were then seen by a newly arrived, uninformed as well as obstinate. administraton as being an opportunity to raise funds by eliminating the program to the extent that the first resident was removed and the City’s donated residence, was rented out, since HUSD needed the rental income. Of course new resident was not asked to watch the premises. Result: the newly repainted Longwood school as seen recent major outbreak of graffittii attacks. HUSD administration and it’s current crop of trustees just don’t get it!

HAYWARD 339, YOUR CONCERNS CAB BE RESOLVED BY CREATION OF COMMISSIONS SUCH AS:

A.) Puiblic Comments Comission: This body of volunteers would make itself available to hear complaints, formulate an opinion and aid in presentation of facts at the appropriate moment on the agenda; it would advise on how best use the three minutes by use of successive speakers, each addressing a saliant point in the beef or advice; it would also tell some to drop the subject when necessary.

B.)Sports and Promotions Commission;
Listen to suggestions and advocate for viable, well supported ideas about raising funds for athletic programs as an aid to assitance with the budget;

C.) Website Commission; Thsi group would hover over the HUSD Website and through use of periodic meetings, attended by public stakeholders, informed on the deficiencies. aid HUSD to correct this presently ineffective tool.

d.) Commission on student attire and compotment on or off campus during HUSD supported activity;

f, g, h, etc….. do concerned readers have any ideas? Do you know a current candidate to HUSD Board who would follow through on these thoughts?

OR…. are we limited to a slate of candidates
in coming elections who simply ‘want to make a difference’ without a smidgeon of thought on specifics of what they want or how to bring that about?

Gee Monica, did I bore you again?

Hayward339

Thank you, J.W. Kyle. Any HUSD school board candidates wish to address the idea of citizen commissions that would advise the district?

BTW, this is why we need to have an earlier vetting of candidates by the media. A large percentage of taxes and bond money is going to the district and we ALL need to make sure it is used responsibly and that those spending it are fully accountable for the proper use of every cent.

K Rocchio

Hayward339,
I am a candidate for the 2-year seat on the Board. I believe citizen commissions add a great value to any District. I think this would be a great step in opening up dialogue and healing the relationship between the District and the entire Hayward community. I am a firm believer in getting involved and becoming a part of the solution. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me via email at Rocchio4HUSD@live.com.

Hayward339

K Rocchio,
I appreciate your offer to speak with me directly but you really need to market yourself to the masses. This is what J.W. Kyle and I have stated from the beginning.
If you have ideas like these or others, let us ALL know. That is why we’re asking the Daily Review to start this dialog earlier and encourage all candidates to express their ideas and thoughts. For example, how would you have handled the cafeteria staffing issue that is in today’s issue? Would you cave in to the union or would you fight for the students? Would you look to find alternative, productive work for the cafeteria staff when food service demand is low or would you let them collect their pay irrespective of the amount of work produced or required? What innovative solution would you bring to the table to make the money being spent used more effectively?

K Rocchio

Regarding the current cafeteria situation all across HUSD: I have spent a good deal of time in the lunchroom with our children. When we are talking about the conditions currently present across Hayward, unacceptable is a word I would use. Here’s what I see happening: We are closing schools and crowding facilities. We are trying to serve more and more children in a school designed for a smaller community. Schools have to stagger lunch periods in order to accommodate the additional population, meaning less time for everyone. There are kids right now that just don’t eat! Why? Well, for the simple reason that the line is too long! I have seen children stand in those long lines while the entire lunch period ticks away on the clock. I have seen children still in the line while their recess slips away. I have seen children barely make it through the line, sit down, shove what they can in and only a short time later they are rushed back to class. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! If you are looking for “human impact” look no further than the nearest cafeteria. For many of our students, this meal is what gets them through the day! It’s much easier to educate a child on a full stomach than one who hasn’t eaten all day. I can’t tell you how many students I have seen opt to sit at a table with no food and wait for recess rather than wait in line. The lines themselves are an issue. You can imagine the type of behavior that can be seen in these situations. I believe the last time I checked it was the responsibility of a school district to serve the students. I do understand that this takes employees, and they do deserve to be treated respectfully. I have to wonder, where was our concern for “human impact” when we closed schools, or during the strike? When there are children going all day without eating, there is something terribly wrong! I do think that if we could offer more points of service, the number of students purchasing lunch may increase. I am not convinced that making cuts to this area, already so heavily burdened with serving more students, is the answer either. I do agree that the services need to be modified. I think we should be able to calculate how many people we need to efficiently staff a cafeteria based on students served and make these decisions according to this information. Does a school of 750 students require the same staffing as a school with 300? What would we save/sacrifice by making these reductions in hours? What does it cost to add these additional “points of service”? Where do you suppose you will place these service stations? I know it is not popular at election time to talk about making cuts, but if this truly means improving a service to our children it must be addressed. Isn’t that what the School Board does? Make the tough decisions for the best interest of the children. For more of my viewpoints visit: http://rocchio4husd.wordpress.com/

Hayward339

K Roccio,

Thank you for your comments. I think having more points of service is a starting point since it begins to move away from serving the students serially and more in parallel. Perhaps HUSD could learn some lessons from McDonald’s or Disneyland and the way they handle queues. I’d be interested to hear how the cafeteria staff complain about having to be trained to adjust to their new processes.
Keep writing. If we don’t hear other candidates chiming in, it becomes a lot clearer to me who I would vote for.

ponee007

In response to #9 – what if the CVUSD & the HUSD re-did the school boundaries so ALL people living in CV actually attended the CVUSD? As it is now, this area of CV – is not part of Hayward so we aren’t in a city but we go to HUSD (for those who choose to stay like me)-and honestly I think this little enclave gets neglected – CV doesn’t really care since our property values aren’t as high but then again we do have Trader Joe’s on this side of the freeway. How many times have I had people tell me: why don’t you just transfer out to CVUSD? Or “oh you live in that area” as if our area is associated with more crime/poverty.

J. W. Kyle

Poneeo7 raises a question many would like to see answered, especially those living in Fairview area who find themselves at a disadvantage when attempting to sell their homes. If that home is not located in Castro Valley School district,the ‘economic obsolescence’ factor used by appraisers is applicable to HUSD homes and is significant. Want to recover that economic penalty? Then get involved!

Even if Castro Valley had room for all students desirous of attendenace in CV rather than Hayward, who would pay to erect new schools to handle the crowd ?

Then too, the recent vote for significant amounts of Bond money in HUSD will receive an unfair, (especially unfair to Treeview School), disproportionaate amount of the total spent on total re-construction of Fairview School and a Major addition to East Ave School….. you can be sure that loss of the asessment money would be fought by HUSD.

Fankly, what is really needed is greater particpation in the affairs of HUSD by those taxpayers who do not have children presently attending HUSD.If you re-read what I have written at item #13 above, I think that upon reflection, you will find it is the only way out of the predicament faced by citizens of Hayward as well as the Fairview area.

Did you know that I have seen past “for sale” listings of homes in the Fairway Park area, (South of Rouseau Street) where potential buyers were (are?) advised that the home is located in New Haven School District which encompasses all of Union City? In that situation you have the reverse of your experience in Fairview area.

Basically you have school district boundaries established decades ago. The legalities standing in the way of re-drawing the lines are horrendous and those benefitting are lawyers!

Frankly, Hayward Citizens shoot themselbves in the foot if they fail to acceopt my advice at item #13.
Is that my conceit? Or the result of your failure to get involved if not already volunteering!

MARIBEL

I AM ALSO A CANDIDATE FOR SCHOOL BOARD, I AM RUNNING WITH ARACELI OROZCO, PARENT ADVOCATE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH PARENTS IN MANY SCHOOLS. WE ARE AWARE OF WHAT IS GIONG ON, NOT JUST AT OUR CHILDRENS SCHOOLS, BUT MANY SCHOOLS WHERE WE WORK WITH THE PARENTS. WE BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE CITIZENS COMMISIONS TO OVERSEE WHAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING. A HARVARD STUDY STATES: IT IS GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US; PARENTS; TEACHERS; AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO IMPROVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE U.S, PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE HOW YOUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING. THE PICTURE IS GRIM.

I AGREE MR. KYLE, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL TAXPAYERS TO BE IN TUNE WITH THE SCHOOLS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. WHEN THERE ARE GOOD SCHOOLS, STUDENTS THRIVE, WHEN STUDENT’S THRIVE OUR COMMUNITY THRIVES, IF OUR STUDENTS FAIL, WE ARE ALL AT RISK.

Hayward339

Maribel,
Thank you for your comments. Where do you stand on chrater schools and bi-lingual programs?

BTW, can you please use upper and lower case letters? It helps clarify what your important points are.

MARIBEL

Charter schools as well as vouchers are bad for public schools, they both deplete public funds from our schools. Current Charters should be allowed to remain if they are doing a good job educating our children. New Charters should not be allowed if there is an actual School Board that is going to improve all our schools equally. If I was elected I would not allow them in our district because I would ensure that all our schools recieved the proper resources to improve education here in Hayward; for instance we need more teachers and reading specialists.
Bilingual programs, when implemented properly, are a good thing, it is always a plus for children to know more than one language. I wanted for my children to learn Madarin. However, private Mandarin classes are to expensive, and unfortunately, I was not allowed to transfer my child to Stonebrae; where there is a successful Bilingual Mandarin program. Many of our schools have Spanish Bilingual programs, and depending on the school some are successful; again, it is always a plus for children to learn more than one language, and it would be nice for our public schools to provide high quality Bilingual Programs.

MARIBEL

Hayward339,
I wrote all caps before to be sensitive to old eyes like mine.

J. W. Kyle

Well Mr. Noceda, we are all awaiting your comment regarding the question ” What is Hayward’s Greatest need?”

You have a copy of the mailing of a four page letter of inquiry which has reached 14 of the 16 candidates to the School Board Trustee Seats.

Have you made an intereview of the gabg yet? What are you waiting for?

Bay Area needs the ‘hits’ to compensate for the loss of advertising in the Daily Fish Wrap…. are you waiting for the COWS TO COME HOME?

HOW DOES ONE CHOOSE FROM 16 CANDIDATES UNLESS THESE FOLKS FIND EXPRESSION IN YOUR PAPER? GOOOD LORD! YOU ARE A GRADUATE OF HUSD…. carry the beef to your editor and get on with the interviews! You owe it to your Alma Mater! The Absentee ballots will be out before you realize that you might have been of greater assistance !

Maribel did not present herself at the ‘Candidates Night’ conducted by the ‘Hayward Demos’ last evening.
Not being a member of that illustrious collection of ‘king-makers’. I was assisted, by courtesy of the lady seated adjacent to me, to learn the names appearing upon the lists (Ballot list that is,) of potential recipiants and was disappointed to see that the names were quite limited. I mean the attendees were not permitted examination or vote upon the all the 16 candidates. Why? I surmise that some were not invited, which seems entirely un-democratic!

What the Demos fail to recognize is that the HUSD Board of trustee seats up for grabs are non-partisan as to ‘party affiliation’ and the candidates who are researched, all of whom are registered voters are identified by party affiliation. Only Democrats are eligible to receive endorsements. As a consequence, I do not belive that all those receiving last night’s endorsements are really well quallified.

The condition of HUSD’s relationship with the general public, despite the vote tally on the bond issue, is the problem which I personnally identify as it’s biggest problem.

In addition, my memory tells me that there was no distinction upon the ballot as between candidates running for the two year or the four years seats.
( The Teachers Union, as listed above, made four choices.)

I left early, did not wait for the results of the balloting. The only one of the three nominees listed by Meribel, acceptable to me, is the clearcut choice of Sarah Gonzales.

Matbel may have missed the fourth name. Had, she as a candidate. dared ‘enter the lists’ to do verbal battle with the others she might have picked up a vote or two from the non-member individuals who attended the forum. My bet is that about half of the attendees were not directly affiliated with the “Hayward Demos” Whose membership includes many living outside the boundaries of the Haywatd Unified School District!

What I find irritating is the heavy handed participation of those associated with ‘Globe’ the gay activist club. “Globe” whose intensity over gay/lesbian issues, as evidenced last evening, has excessively intense interst in HUSD.

With but two candiates exhibiting interest in the concept of drawing the entire community, not just parents, into the affairs and/or tasks facing HUSD in the near future, I am still tossing my four vote opportunties in the air, just as though I had some skill at juggling. I like both Ms. Sims and Ms. Rocchio! Unfortunatly they are both involved in the race for the two year seat

Where were you Maribel and did your informant hang around long enough to learn the name of the candidate garnering the 4th endorsement for the four year seat?

MARIBEL

There was no endorsement for the two year term, according to the demos there was not a majority of votes to endorse anyone for that seat, hence only 3 candidates were endorsed.

MARIBEL

I did not attend the forum because I was sure of the outcome. Instead I focused my efforts calling citizens who vote by absentee ballots. We, (Araceli and I) do not have a volunteer base so we are doing the leg work ourselves and we need to split ourselves up so we could cover more ground. COMPRE is having a HUSD board candidates night (October 18, will post address later) where it is for information purposes only for the public, I will be there.

Hayward Voter

I find Maribel’s response to the quetion of charter schools interesting. What’s interesting about it? Her daughter attends a charter school.

I wanted to put my daughter in Catholic school after I visited one of the Middle Schools in Hayward. After visiting the school I realized I could not afford it. A parent of one of my daughters friends told us about a school her daughter is attending. My daughter wanted to audition for a this school (you have to audition in the arts to get in. This Charter school offers programs with an emphasis in the the arts. I did not want her to but, my daughter and dad, who is also is a fan of the arts, insisted we let her try out, and she got in. She always tell’s me “mom please don’t kill my dreams I am only 12 years old.” So, dad and I, decided that it would be unfair to her, because of what I believe in, not to give her this opportunity. I am sure any parent would have done the same thing.

It is a fact Charter Schools and Vouchers deplete public funds from our public schools and I do not support this and I would not support any new charters in Hayward, but I would not close any school that is operating in our district, closing a schools is never good for our community.

MARIBEL

Please visit our website AcademicSuccess4Hayward.com it willgive you a clearer picture of our campaign, Academic Success for Hayward, we want for every student in our district to recieve the quality education they need and deserve.

Hayward Voter

On one hand, “Charter schools as well as vouchers are bad for public schools, they both deplete public funds from our schools”. On the other hand, you’re sending your child to a charter school. You first tried for the Catholic school, but could not afford it. Perhaps if there were a voucher system that could assist you, that would have been your choice. It seems like this is a case of “I’m totally behind you…. except when it comes to my kid”.

Perhaps you are not aware of the award-winning music programs in the Hayward public school system. If the parents of the musicians had placed their children in charter programs, Hayward public schools would not have such successful music programs. Whether your daughter is a musician, dancer, painter or sculptor, there is a place for her in Hayward schools.

I disagree with you when you say, “any parent would have done the same thing”. Every parent has the option that you had. The parents of the award-winning musicians could have gone the charter route. Fortunately, they didn’t. There are candidates that currently have children in Hayward schools. They could have easily decided to go the charter route. They didn’t. From everything that they have said at various forums (which you did not attend), it seems that they have something you don’t. Faith. They have faith in our schools.

J. W. Kyle

Well, now we are bringing parochial schools into the discussion and couple that with “vouchers”

Well, if you want the scoop on the real problem and an outstanding solution, where the community at large gets explore with Google Assitance the following.

On google search for : CRISTO REY SCHOOLS, CHICAGO ILLINOIS!

Initiated in 1994 in a very troubled Chicago “low income neighborhood” the comcept has spread across the Country!

search for the “60 Minutes” TV bit which appeared on Sunday Nights back in ’96 or ’97
I am a grown man but i quite lirreally wept at the end of the TV bit when the student, a little latino lady was video taped at the news, revealed to her in a place of business, that she was going to College courtesy of unknown party whose generosity supplemented her announced scholarship. The lass phoned her mother to announce, in tears… ” momma, i’m going to college !”

The concept has speraed across the nation and the last I have recently heard a feasibility study was being done at A San Francisco low income neighborhood.

There are now about 20 such High Schools resulting from the start of the concept in 1994!

It would never have happened without Community involvment which encourages greater family interest as well as personal discipline exhibited by the involved students.

If the Community of this area really got involved, rather than wait for the Bo0ard of Trustees to guide the thought, much coukd happen here!

K Rocchio

The question about where candidates stand on Charter Schools comes up repeatedly. I do believe that Hayward has become a premium location for Charter Schools. Our school environment has reached a point where perception of HUSD overrides reality. At this point, I believe, any Charter School that opens in Hayward will have a waiting list long before they even open their doors. HUSD needs to focus on making themselves the option parents choose when enrolling their students. If we fail to address the concerns of our community, we will only fuel the need for more alternatives. We must bring to the forefront a quality educational experience across the board. I believe this is the only way we will diminish the high demand for alternatives like Charter Schools, inter-district transfers and private education. Many times these options are sought out not because of the programs they offer, but because of the stigma attached to our existing schools. We must learn to promote ourselves and speak loud and proud of all of the great things going on in Hayward Unified. We have many outstanding programs and opportunities to offer right here in the City of Hayward.

I encourage more of the public to take part in the upcoming forums for the candidates. If you are interested in the dates and locations I will keep these posted at KellyRocchio.com under events. New forums are always being scheduled, so if you can’t make one, hopefully you can find one that works for your schedule.

J. W. Kyle

Ms. Rocchio, One of the areas in which candidates and Trustees ought seek information is a thing which, until a few years ago, appeared on the HUSD Website.

It was described as the “Transiency rate” which recorded the number of students enrolled, at each school, as of the 1st day of October, in each school year. It then compared that number with the number of students, who had been enroled at that school in October with those who remained ON THE ROLLS, at the school at the conclusion of the school year. IT APPATRENTLY MADE NO ATTEMPT TO MEASURE THE TRANSIENCY OF ThHOSE WHO ENROLLED, AT EACH SITE, If they moved in and out after October 2 but before the end of the school year.

In early 1990′s, as an example, the rate of transiency at Longwood School, in late 1980′s and early 1990′s was pinned at or around 25%,it suddenly spiked to 46% in mid 1990′ but droped back to around 26% on the latter part of the 1990′s.

That information is apparently eliminated from our new modern, colorful, pretty much useless present website!

Transiency rate at 25% or 46% ??? WELL TO MAKE THE MATH EASY… AT 25% IT IMPLIES THAT OF 100 STUDENTS PRESENT on October, 25 had moved to another location outside or even within the district.

Question: How do you improve test scores when you do not have student attention for three years or more?

Transiency rates are high and the negativity of the test scores is largeloy due to classroom transiency, probably made worse by moving kids arouned to assure no more than 20 in some classes.

Give it some thought then tell the world how to address that factor. Perhaps a teacher or two will reveal the now apprently concealed website information which provides transparency to the basic problem.

Good luck at the polls!

ponee007

As a parent I consistenly hear – I’ll send my kids to HUSD elementary but forget about middle/high school – so definitely HUSD needs to improve their image – because there are plenty of satisfied families at the schools – they need to SPEAK OUT & be an advocate.

Get your school to do http://www.readfortherecord.org – I called HUSD to see if they would send out info to school – they never called back. Libraries are taking part – we could have a great OCTOBER 2 where everyone reads Corduroy at the same time – promoting literacy. And get some positive PRESS for HUSD – there are alot of hard working parents & children attending our schools.

qodrn

My children both attend a Charter School in Hayward, and I bless the gods that it opened at the right time for my kids. They have just blossomed under this school. A major reason I sent them there was it offered a small school environment. Their school is small enough that anyone who dosn’t belong there is immediately noticed by students and faculty. Also, for many reasons, other experiences at the schools frieghtened me. One example is my sons friend, who was admitted to Chabot for early admission, then had noone show him how to register from there, or tell him how to sign up for financial aid, or pick a major. At my sons school, they sign the seniors up for their ACT and SAT exams through the school itself, and have sessions to assist with filling out college apps and scholarship apps, not to mention tutoring sessions for the ACT an SAT at school.
The problems with the Hayward school are inbreed and with take years to fix. My kids dont have years. Adding a new program, such as Mandarin, is great for the kids that get in, but still leaves everything else the same. I have heard of one school district looking at disbanding and starting over. Some days I dont feel that this is such a bad idea.
I would like to see kids do the schoolwork primarily at home, under the guidance of a teacher, with tutoring as needed. I thinks its time schools simply educated kids. I like to cut the time at school way down, coming in for tests and labs, band, etc. Its time to free the other students at the mercy of few who aren’t ready to be there.

J. W. Kyle

Ill pass by Qodrn’s use of thr plural when she introduces God into her writing.

As to your son’s friend, you mean the lad had no knowledge of how to register? Did he not learn how to ask the simplest o questions; “can you show me how…?
Will you sdvise me how….how?

Then. “I would ;ike to see thr school work pimsrily sy home….” Thst idea really confoozes me! Can you
add to the thought?

ponee007

I’m a little confused by Qodrn’s examples as well like “inbreed”. Also are you saying no one at Chabot showed them about financial aid? Again confused.

When I was in high school in SF – a public high school – not the best either – I don’t really remember too many people offering me guidance – I had to seek it out like: can you help me register for college? or what classes do I need to take? then I got the assistance I needed. Perhaps more sub-urban (although I don’t think f Hayward as sub-urban) schools really help kids get into college?

What I want to see happen is parents start taking a more active role in the educational process – asking questions, going to classes, getting involved, volunteering, etc. However they can do it. We can’t just send the kids to school – and the let the powers that be – just educate them – parents have to be involved as well – like read the newsletters that come home, attend parent meetings, we are all busy – but honestly take some time out to educate your children as well. I see many parents just drop off the kids at school (not even signing in for the before school care) – just get out of the car for 5 min, say hi to the teachers/caretakers – let them know who you are.

J. W. Kyle

Ponee007 raises some interesting thoughts which, in my own mind, heightens concern about depth of the problem at Public Schools.

From personal observation opportunities gathered during many hours of volunteering at public schools subsequent to my retirement, I have observed conditions so negatively numerous that the cummulative affect is beyond any real depth of understanding by the ‘man on the street’.

I answered the door to my personal home, yestrerday Sunday the 28th, during a brief absence of my spouse who had gone shopping. One of 8 grand-daughters was at the door, in her Sunday outfit. She was accompanied by a young man whom I had met only briefly at the college graduation of her older sister back in May of this year. The rain at Sonoma State that day was heavy and our planned family picnic was doomed so my wife and I left without chance of conversation with the young man who was standing in my home yesterday.

The happy couple announced their engagement and their planned wedding date which will occur about 6 months prior to her December 2009 course completion. She has earned 4.0 to date and expects to maintaine that level. The kicker? She will be graduating Cal Poly three and one half years after entering the school direct from High School..

Another older sister remains at Cal poly and will graduate at the end of another quarter, her problem? a shift of majors. At one time abandoning architecture to favor law, then, finally choosing teaching of high school math with strong possibility of dropping that in favor of teaching in the area of special education.
This pparticular lass amazed me with the grades she obtained in calculus as well as her free hand skill in drawing architectural designs where the dour insytruction emphasized freehand skills in straight lines with propoer shdowing techniques! Ever add curved features to a multi-storied structures while adding Shadows? She also thinks she has strengths as a swimming coach.

Of the five youngsters in that family unit, the youngest is at Carondelet, the girls high school located across the street from the football team in Concord’

The oldest youngster, the hapless ‘big brother’ to four sisters is happiiy occupied as a member of the IBEW. hrew up his hands a fell pret ro the crafts, followuing the success of his paternal grandfayher a highly skilled machinest who created products requiring tooling to 5/1000′s accuracy to meet specifications specifications. Or his father who aided his employer from the use of wood patterns to automatic tooling commanded by CAD specicatins involcing a single machine automated to use of 21 separate tools.

In that family unit, there was no TV influence. The TV was not hooked up to cable nor satellite; if you wanted to rest your eyes away from the books, pick out an educational prrogram from the many tapes in the home libary on which shelves you could watch a parental approved movie now and then. Want other news? Read a newspaper at the school ibrary! You would be surprised at the ‘elevated’ conversations occuring bewteen siblings living at that household!

Daughetr and her husband both worked but at different shifts She worked swings at the hospital as a trauma unit nurse while he worked an early morning shift at the foundry where he workes as a pattrern maker who induced his employer into use of computer to design and tooling of the patterns used in the foundry. His shift ended in early afternoon so he picked up the kids and took ‘em to soccre games eyc. while she prepared to start work at 4:00 PM Days off were days spent participating in school activities.

Vacations were family events where the family bonds were tightened in oversized housboat rentals shared, with or without friends or family. It was and is a tight, supportive family. Oddly, because both parents were skilled, their gross income was largely spent on parochial education, K-12 which denied scholarship eligibility at college level. All the youngsters, including the ‘tag along’ who remains athe young ladies high school,Carondelet, located opposite the football school.

College in this family was largely, but not entirely, financed by the employment sought out by these young people. No body took them by the hand to register in distant schools or were offered anything but availability of positive parental advice on the subject of how to register and what courses to take!

Attending the K-8 graduation of the third child in the rankings of ths family, (Cal-poly student desirous of teaching,) two things stick in my mind. First, was that my granddaughter walked away with a goodly number of scholarship monie awarded to those involved with community projects outside the purvey of this particular school; 2nd was that of the 35 students graduating eigth grade, 28 were part of the original 35 in the first grade! Seven move outs in eight years speaks to the HUSD problem of transience in HUSD.

I attribute the public school problem, in the first place, to classroom transiency rate at HUSD. Now, I’ll bet a case of diet coke on the idea that the average parent in HUSD, fails to understand the meaning of classroon transiency or the affect it has upon a teacher’s ability to teach.

In the second place I have reason to believe that conciously or unconciously the average parent sees little or no reason to strongly control the amount of influence provided by Television to children!

The above are the major observations I carry around under my hat. I have others, some are revealed at the top or within this blog page. You might wish to read them if you have not already done so.

Of course, being Irish, I have by nature allied topics, but since the above scribbles do not seem to have stimulated public expression, out of the mouths of the 16 candidates…..nor,have my expressions of concern on these subects, evcked response from any member of the Board of Trustees, or the editorial pages of Daily Review, why would I waste additional time?

Well, thank God foe his occasioanl kick in the ass which puts me to effort of continued attempts. When I get to the ‘pearly gates’, I might be assisted in attempts to gain entry by an advocate, from ranks of successful former HUSD student who speaks spanish, swahili or even gaelic if such are approved as lingua
franca at the gates of heaven.

K Rocchio

I believe transiency rates are a huge factor in HUSD. All students and staff are suffering the effects of this growing issue. Stability at the school level is critical to establishing the necessary connections for learning. If we are constantly “re-directing” our students how can we expect them to engage academically or socially. Do we really believe that a teacher can teach a student when they won’t even be at the school long enough to check out a library book? There are many causes for high transiency. In HUSD we must work to be a part of the solution by offering our families options to establish stability whenever possible. By closing and overcrowding our schools we leave no room for new students, thus beginning the bouncing cycle for many students. The overwhelming impact these moves have on a child and their self-esteem is clearly visible. If you think transiency rates only impact those moving around, you need to do the research. The impact is far reaching and must be managed for the benefit of all.